The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-11-11
F0IIGFNG UP I5TE
unaAyEllrs THE THREADS y .cHEz.


Frsr, Inc French Of dossph Eluntst
ON the aay when sac felt her end approach
fnr and that life was slowly leaving her,
inst aH tho oil in her chinn ianp gently sank
on n winters might, Nile. Aglh6 put her
aldnny hands upon tho head Of her pag
Rfisga and Blled esbious tears, after which,
turning 70 her faithful servant, Gertrndal
che said ID a weak, sad voice;
II ana leaving ron RIl my fortune, Ger
ffstle. but on condition that, when / sm
gone. YOU will take the same care oil hlirza
as have done Taspoar creature Wlll need
aII your Section to console her for Hny loas-
Bwenr 10 me that death alone VIII separate
you from herf"
Gertrude swore on all that she held most
dear. mat Is MON lie remains Of her parrot
1,Socadie, which aho had sadly seen depart
fais lige from tha effects Of a too rash inttfil-
genee il, parsley, and which tho skill OF a
taxidsrmist had enabled her TO preserve
7por a g1l6ad perch, with Hiiospread Wings,
in the erssatic attitude Of parrot WInglng
its Sight toa better world.
Mile. AglaG died peacefully after this, for
shs well knew that tine pledge would be Ha-
cFedly kopa Her confidence was not mis-
placed, as Gertrude was . woman 81 her
1gor,i. ana the whole town Of Briausville was
elfied by the conscientious zeal she dis
tjlsyed IN carrying sut her mistress last
wishes. Never had . quadruppd been the
object Of more delicate attention, nor Of more
,luretniyfinu kindness, than was this pre-
cious pug Of Nile. AglRe- Not only did II
have, at ali times, on its plate, food That
would have satisfied nine ont OF every ten
human beings, but it waB watched over
aud petted tosuch an extent that no ehlia
could have desireda happier eXistenoe' LIS
wardrobe consisted Of about twenty eoats'
Jackets and dresses, the making and tttlnE
Of which were 10 GertrudeR labor oil love.
sltn md prepared clothes for the animal suit
sl,ls fn-ail kinds Of weather. and in dressing
fbe creature she guided herself closely by the
ipdieatious Of the thermometer hanging upon
tho window-frame.
The oonseauanees Of this kind of living
we're not long in coming. At the end OF q
year Mira died from the effects Of plethora
Of health.
Great and sincere Was Gertruds's grief.
She broke the set Of her Finest dozen Oh
towels TO shr0ud the icy remains OF heE
friend. Then, rs Bhe reflected th,Et she dlI
moi know what to do with the dead ANIMAL
a1c became q prey to the most poignant All
Eulsh.
In trrttfl. sbe WAS Al a loss As 10 what 10 do.
Burv the remains in the garden? No, she
eould not muster M, the courage to do that;
the proximity Of the grave would have al
1figted her with an inCurabia melancholy.
Where then would she put the pGtf In the
depth Of her despair tn inspiration flashed.
liehtuinE-like, through her mind; the E1nd
Mousieur GrGg0ire, the heHdle OF SAINT uF-
gula's Church, would assist her in this, her
hour Of sorrow. He was so good, so obllH-
IDgl without a moments delay she dis
,hsrspf zrrT0 VErNE
rpqsgare, begging him to come to sec her I'M
luUdintelY. Half an hour lateT MI NLo-
Epira arrived,
: No found the unfortunate Gertrude in the
,arlor, the blindsof which were closed, and
which, By four lighted tapers, was trans
formed into kind Of mortuary chapel She
was seated upon a lounge where, wrapped IA
its white towel a. if in 3 winding sheet, the
7yug lav stretched out on its back. some
what moved by the sight, Monsieur GregOITe
dotted his hst
he was about To cross himself, when with
a sign, Mile. Gertrude stopped him. In Il
few words, inter1ningled with sobs, abe re-
lated her troubles and explained what she ex-
pected Of him
'.Espeoially, - concluded she, Il wish You
20 bury the body far from here, and to keep
me in ignorance Of the spot, for if l knew
whore TO find the grave would go every day
and wear my eyes out in weeping over 1t"
Monsieur lfrtzeiEe promised oil that was
asked
Il will come this evening, saidhe, after
dark, to take away the body. As you know,
people are 10 funny! Seeing me would be
enough TO set them guBsiping."
He returned, as he had promised, OF S
aiclook. A long cloak hung from his shout
dera 10 his heels. Gertrude uttered a cry and
clnsped her hands together, when be drew
from under the mantle an oblong poplar box
of tho same shape and size az a violin case.
"a coffin! A real coffin !... Oh, Mon
sieur Gr6goire, you are really too kindly
For one'E friends" replied the beadle'
with his most unetous smile, zone can't dc
900 much. Besides, you know the proYerh,
Rdded he, rs he pointed to the rigid body
1.-THE friends of our friendBRfs our friends /!
Half an hour later, Monsieur Gregoirt
went off with Rsvsp of becoming gravity
bearing under his arm the moarnful burdel
Confded 10 his pious care.
:.
And ynu say Won found it in field nea
the huBpital7"
'.Near the military hospital; yes, corporal.
In clearing HD the ield3n
I'm clearing ii up"
with your pillow P"
with my plow."
,'rThat's peeqliarr"
Corporal Poireau stopped writing to scratt
his nose with the point OF his pencil.
ssfItis very peculiar, - repeated hs, dra'
Ing the word out to its full length 81 Ehi
refer the matter TO my ranking oficerF
And the corporal referred the matter to
ensign, who advised his lieutenant. The b
IL flan TAnkifiaH 4
Colonel so that, half an hour later all
gendarlnerie OF BriqNsylile was on 1905
"Captain," said the Colonel you nl
go 70 the public prosecution and inform b
OF what Is going on !"
VERY wei, Colonel p
Theaantain started on, left toot toreno
slosely followed BY onrtnend the eorpoE
who, all the Why keps mutterlng 70 hlInse
DeCidHdly this ID . very pepnliar case r